It is rare for us to hear anyone admit a weakness in our day, much less delight in his weakness like Paul does. You almost never hear an athlete admit a weakness. When a celebrity admits a weakness, it is usually only after a scandal has been uncovered. You will certainly not hear about self-admitted weakness in our current political conversations.

Paul had reached a level of spiritual maturity where he could not only admit his weaknesses, but he could also take pride in his weakness as being the occasion of God's strength (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). Think about that. A man whom most of us have read, a man whom most of us believe, and a man the Scriptures present as a spiritual giant, takes pride in his weakness.

What is the message? What are we to learn from Paul's example?

Simply and profoundly this: God is our strength.

When we feel we are weak, God will fill us with His strength.

When we have failed, God will give us victory.

When we want to quit, God will help us go on.

When we are crying God, He will renew us with His Spirit.

When we feel lost, God will be our home.

When we think our life is a waste, God will show us our value.

When we are weak, God's grace will be sufficient.

God is our strength!

If this week is anything like last week, or the week before, or the week before that, there will be something that happens that makes you realize that you cannot handle everything by yourself. It could be a family disturbance. It could be an upset customer. It could be a disgruntled employee. It could be a bad report from the doctor.

Whatever your "it" happens to be, you may find yourself feeling weak, helpless, and powerless. When "it" happens, listen closely and carefully and you can hear God saying, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Trust that.

Lean into that.

Know that is true.

Thank God for His sufficiency. Then, and when you are sharing your story with others, include this statement: "When I am weak, then I am strong."

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"When I Am Weak..." by Tom Norvell is licensed under a Creative Commons License. Heartlight encourages you to share this material with others in church bulletins, personal emails and other non-commercial uses. Please see our Usage Guidelines for more information.

About the Author

Tom Norvell is the author of "A Norvell Note" -- Thoughts and reflections on God, life, people, and living as a follower of Jesus. He has ministered with followers of Jesus for four decades and loves Jesus, his family, and those seeking Jesus, passionately. (Visit the Author's Website)